This present invention relates to a two part shelf for use in a refrigerator cabinet, and in particular a shelf where one or both parts of the shelf may be used depending on the manner in which the cabinet space is used.
In refrigerator shelving units, there has been considerable development in the past relating to the use of shelving ladders located along the rear wall of the refrigerator cabinet from which shelves may be supported in a cantilever fashion. This ladder shelving usually requires considerable reinforcement support behind the rear wall or of the refrigerator cabinet.
In top and bottom mount refrigerators where the freezer compartment is respectively located above and below the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment typically has a single shelf arrangement located in this freezer compartment that spans the width of the freezer. Typically the single shelf arrangement is mounted on a series of studs that are mounted into the side walls or rear wall of the freezer compartment. While the single shelf mounting arrangement within the freezer compartment is less complex than the ladder type shelf mounting arrangements, the shelf needs to be properly supported at it""s corners so as to permit for the shelf to carry a load without placing undo stress on the liner of the refrigerator cabinet. Also, while the single shelf construction permits for the entire shelf to be removed from the freezer compartment for the insertion of a ice maker or ice bucket, there is no flexibility to allow for a partial shelf removal.
A partial shelf removal feature is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,065,116 issued Dec. 22, 1936 to Constantine et al. The shelf is a single shelf which extends across the width of the refrigerator cabinet and has an opening in the self to one side of the cabinet. The opening in the shelf may be covered by a flat metal cover having a grill shaped pattern. The cover also carries beneath it a sliding basket. While such a construction provides flexibility in using the refrigerator shelf, the refrigerator shelf is supported in four locations and requires a front frame member that extends across the entire front width of the refrigerator cabinet. This front frame member partially obstructs direct access to the shelf opening by presenting an obstacle that objects must be carried over to be placed in an upright position within the shelf opening.
There is a need for a flexible refrigerator shelving assembly of simple construction which may readily facilitate the insertion and removal of taller items or an ice bucket into a position adjacent a main portion of the refrigerator shelf without having to carry articles over a cross member.
The present invention relates to a two-part shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator cabinet. The two-part shelf assembly comprises a first main shelf portion having a supporting floor or shelf within the refrigerator cabinet. This shelf extends partially within the refrigerator cabinet and has an open section which does not extend at least partially across the open front of the cabinet. This main shelf portion is preferably supported by at least three shelf support members mounted to the cabinet. The main shelf portion has a frame assembly for supporting the shelf or the floor and has a frame member that extends beyond the floor along either one of the cabinet side walls or rear wall. The two part shelf assembly further includes an auxiliary shelf portion which may be mounted adjacent to the main shelf portion. The auxiliary shelf portion has a supporting floor that is adapted to extend across that portion of the cabinet which the main shelf portion does not extend to provide shelf support across the open front of the cabinet. The auxiliary shelf portion is adapted to be supported by at least one shelf support member mounted to the cabinet and by flange or hooks overlying the frame member of the main shelf portion extending along either one of the side walls or the rear wall.
Additionally, it is contemplated that the two frames of the auxiliary shelf portion and the main frame portion may be interconnected by a load sharing interconnecting member such as for example, a spring like bracket carried by one of the two shelf portions and clipped to the other of the shelf portions along adjacent sections of the frame member. Alternatively, studs extending below and from each shelf portion under the other shelf portion may provide the load sharing interconnecting members.
The present invention provides a refrigerator shelf whereby the user may utilize a continuous shelf across the refrigerator cabinet or may remove a portion of the shelf for the use of larger articles or an ice maker where access into the cabinet through the open front is not obstructed by the shelf.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a two part shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator cabinet having a rear wall, two opposing side walls and an open front. The two part shelf assembly comprises at least four shelf support members mounted to the cabinet for supporting the two part shelf assembly, a main shelf portion and an auxiliary shelf portion. The main shelf portion has a first frame supporting a first load supporting floor. The first load supporting floor extends from the rear wall towards the open front and extends from one of the side walls partially across the width of the cabinet. The first frame has a forward portion mounted by at least one of the shelf supports to the one side wall. The first frame has a rear frame member supported by at least two shelf support members to the cabinet to extend across the width of the cabinet adjacent the rear wall. The auxiliary shelf portion has a second frame supporting a second load supporting floor. The second load supporting floor extends from the rear wall towards the open front and extends from the other one of the side walls partially across the width of the cabinet to lie adjacent and spaced from the first load supporting floor. The second frame has a forward portion mounted by at least one of the shelf support members to the other side wall. The second frame is supported by the rear frame member of the first frame adjacent the rear wall.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention the main shelf portion may alternatively have a first load supporting floor that extends from the rear wall partially towards the open front and extends between the side walls. The first frame has a forward portion mounted by at least one of the shelf supports to one side wall and the first frame has a rear frame member supported by at least two shelf support members to the cabinet to extend across the depth of the cabinet adjacent the side walls. The auxiliary shelf portion may be inserted into the front opening across the cabinet and be supported to the frame member and to at least one shelf support member mounted to the cabinet.